The Ties That Bind Us
by Joist
Summary: The news of another Shikon no Tama or a third sword has brought a newcomer into the scene of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's 'family life'. And who else would it be, other than their (half)sister Ayamara?
1. I

The Ties That Bind Us

By: Joist

Regular disclaimers apply…

A/N- Weird fic idea… We all know Sesshoumaru is the Lord of the Western Lands, but what if the Lord of the Eastern Land claimed him to be unworthy of the land? And what if that Lord was his sister?!

Someone probably has this idea already, so please tell me if they do! =)

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"Sesshoumaru-sama!" cried Jaken. "A youkai demands your presence! A youkai woman! She demands your presence!" The little green, yellow-eyed, demon advisor was running throughout the halls, looking for his master.

Just as he was about to turn a corner, Sesshoumaru stepped in front of Jaken. "Where is she?" he demanded.

"In the main entrance room!" Jaken said. "She demands to see you, and she threatens your Jaken and Rin if you do not!"

_Rin…?_ Sesshoumaru thought. He snarled inwardly. That was something he could not stand for. Jaken…eh…his importance and use around Sesshoumaru was so-so. It didn't really matter whether he survived the lengths of all his days to Sesshoumaru. But Rin had filled his days with happiness and love that only a child could give. Sesshoumaru would keep Rin with him for as long as her time allowed.

Sesshoumaru lengthened his strides and his speed greatened, and he sped to the main entrance room.

He almost gasped when he saw who was there.

"Ayamara…" he murmured.

"Well brother," the youkai woman said, standing from the chair and letting Rin's arm go so the child could run behind Sesshoumaru. "I see that you are doing well…" She smirked. "And I see you also found yourself some…company…" The youkai woman's striking gray-blue eyes roamed the room, and her dog-like ears that poked through her waist long, silvery-white hair twitched for any noise. The ears were long, about three or four inches, and they had small, lead, hoop baubles along the ridge. And they also forked at the tips. She heard nothing, nor saw anything else that would incline that someone else was there – hiding from her malicious eyes. 

"But no female…no mate!" she chirped, clapping her hands together and entwining her fingers. "So the rumors are facts! You have not found a female to rut with. Oh dear brother…what ill-fate has befallen on you!"

"What is your business here in the Western Lands, Ayamara?" Sesshoumaru snarled. His hands were clenched in fists at his sides, and Rin could see the beginnings of a yellow-green glow in the almost-hidden palms.

"I have come to visit you, Sesshoumaru," she said. "And to make some changes in the way the Western Lands are run."

"You have your *own* land to rule, Ayamara," said Sesshoumaru. "Your father made that very clear to you."

"Ah, but not clear enough, apparently, to you!" she said, standing on her tip-toes, then falling back to her heels. "For it seems to the other Lands, their Lords, their People, and I, that you," she pointed at him, "have not been very worthy in keeping the West in its rightful place and order."

"The episode with the wolves was not created by me," said Sesshoumaru. He smirked. "Those wolves did not even belong to my Land. As a matter of fact… They looked incredibly like *your* wolves!"

Ayamara stopped her movement, and looked at him in awe. "You are as sharp as the incisors brother, I give you that," she said. Her blue-gray eyes flashed. "But you have no proof that they were *my* intimates."

Sesshoumaru didn't like the way the conversation was going. "As the Lord of the Western Lands, I ask you to leave, Ayamara," he said lowly, dangerously. "And never return unless I am notified first."

"No! I will not leave!" said Ayamara defiantly. "You are not the Western Land's rightful owner! You are not deserving! Your father made an awful mistake in choosing his oldest son to rule in his place! But I wouldn't put the whole blame on his shoulders," she said, laughing, "for he couldn't help that his youkai was a stupid species – and still are!"

"BE QUIET!!!" Sesshoumaru roared, his eyes starting to turn a tinge of red.

"Why brother?" asked Ayamara. "Because you are scared of the truth, and that I speak it?" She smirked. "You've lived a sheltered life compared to me, Sesshoumaru – so be grateful I'm even letting you see tonight's sunset." She finished her declaration with a snarl, and her own eyes were dancing with maliciousness.

"I am not scared of the truth, Ayamara," Sesshoumaru said lowly. "I can handle the truth – it is you that cannot and has the facts wrong. So I bid you good-day. Leave my sight, and never return unless I allow you."

Ayamara didn't move. "I come bearing other news, brother," she said. "Wandering through the Forest Still, I could not help but notice that there seems to be a heavy aura around it and the surrounding mountains, villages, and landforms. It is fairly possible that there is yet another _Shikon no Tama_…or another fatal sword." She shrugged. "But that's just me, and as we both well know, our bloodlines are almost parallel."

Ayamara began walking to the entrance. "I will not leave the Western Lands for long, Sesshoumaru. I only plan on going back to the Forest Still to investigate on the matter once more, and then see how well our filthy hanyou kin is doing. But as I can clearly see, Inuyasha apparently isn't the only one that inherited father's imprudent love for the soiled beings of humans – seeing as this one" she pointed at Rin, "follows you like your own pup already."

Sesshoumaru growled, his lips curling. "It is a possibility, Ayamara. But the child is not dependent of me. She chooses to stay."

Ayamara laughed coldly, the sound ringing through the virtually empty castle to bounce off the walls and reverberate in their chests. It chilled the three other occupants to the bone. "That was a good one, Sesshoumaru. But I'm serious. Does she do any other tricks? Like maybe fetch? Or play dead? Because I can easily teach her the last trick…" She unsheathed a sword whose blade seemed rusted over, and on the verge of crumbling to ashes and dust. But as soon as her fingers clasped around the handle, the rust disappeared, and was replaced by a large, shining, silver blade.

Sesshoumaru stared in awe and disbelief. It looked like the Tetsusaiga…but he knew Inuyasha had not given it away…not yet anyway.

Ayamara smirked at his emotions. "Heh. It's the sword father presented to me. The soul calling sword: _Tesataiga_. It has the ability to call the souls of humans, youkai, hanyou – virtually anything – so they can be under my command. I can make them kill fifty youkai with just one order and a swing of the blade. While the Tenseiga can bring many human souls back to the world of the living, and the Tetsusaiga can rid many demon souls to the world of the shadows, this can do both – and more."

Ayamara raised Tesataiga, and pointed it at Rin. She gave a shriek of pure and utter terror, and tried to make herself disappear within Sesshoumaru's robes. "Rin is scared, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said meekly. "Rin is scared…"

"STOP IT!!!" Sesshoumaru yelled. "Ayamara, I order you to leave the castle right now! You may be my sister, but my father never said I couldn't kill you!"

"Oh but if you did kill me, Sesshoumaru," said Ayamara, "it'd be like killing our mother – considering the fact that I look so much like her…"

Sesshoumaru looked at her through silver-white bangs, and all was silent for a moment.

"Get out. Now."

"Heh. Fine aniki! I'll leave! I'll be sure to say hello to Inuyasha for you…" She started cackling again, and left the castle.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" asked Jaken. The youkai turned numbly, his golden eyes still pulsing with anger and awesome hatred. "I-if my master does not mind…wh-who was that youkai-woman?"

"That youkai-woman was the foulest creature to ever grace the presence of the earth," said Sesshoumaru. "Even more so than the hanyou Inuyasha." He was silent for a few moments, then said, "That filthy creature is my sister. Ayamara."

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A/N- Hope you guys liked it! Please read and review!! ^-^


	2. II

The Ties That Bind Us

-

By: Joist

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha. But anything original (i.e. Ayamara, Gumiro, Apocalei etc) belong to me and only me! So no suing now!

A/N- ah, the long awaited chapter of "The Ties That Bind Us". Thanks reviewers! I appreciate you praising me!! ^_~ Oh yeah…I know I haven't done any of the changes on chapter one, but I hinted that Sesshoumaru was related to Ayamara by their mother, but I'm changing that to their father… *sigh* Sorry! I'll replace that chapter ASAP!!!

**Oh yeah, I'm thinking of changing my pen-name to 'sharpie marker' or 'red sharpie', or something to do with Sharpie markers (the permanent ones). What do you think?**

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"Sesshoumaru doesn't know what danger can erupt from that piece of information," snarled Ayamara as she walked away from her brother's castle. Black wolves snarled and snapped at her from the sides, and some even dared to bite her ankles and hands. She did nothing to retaliate, seeing as if she harmed these wolves, her brother would be given no restraints to rid her soul. As was the rules of the youkai Lands of the North, South, East, and West…

Something above her popped, making some of the wolves jump back in alarm and surprise, but Ayamara seemed unfazed. She kept walking coolly, her head kept up high.

"Mistress Ayamara," said a squeaky voice. "Did you alert Master Sesshoumaru on the dangers in the Forest Still?"

"I did," said Ayamara. "But he refused to listen…or he was afraid to. Either way, it will take another visit to get him to receive the information, Gumiro."

"But Mistress Ayamara! We both sense the powers in Still! There is no doubt in my mind that another jewel or sword lays in its depths!"

Ayamara stopped walking, and turned stiffly to face the speaker. It was what seemed to be an off-white colored bird with a pure gold beak and feet; flecks of gold in its feathers; eyes of deep ocher; and the size of a normal (bald) eagle.

"Kasu ooburi," Ayamara said.

The bird squawked softly, then seemed to stretch and grow. Then, instead of a bird being there, what seemed to be a youkai sharing some similarities with Sesshoumaru (human-looking, but not human [ears, face]) with wings stood on the plain. His wings unfurled from his face to reveal ocher eyes, fair skin, and gold markings on the forehead and cheeks. He went to Ayamara's flanks, though he looked anything but a mere child.

"So what are you planning on doing?" asked Gumiro. "Are you really going to see Inuyasha and his company?"

"Of course," said Ayamara. "Did you think I was lying, Gumiro?" she asked. 

Gumiro jumped away from a snarling wolf. "Well, no, Mistress Ayamara…but I didn't think you serious either…"

"Well I am. So come, Gumiro. Kasu tenma," she said. Gumiro nodded, and jumped up in the air as soon as Ayamara began running across the plain at top speed, some brace wolves following. He transformed into a white bird again, and flew after her.

At Sesshoumaru's castle… 

Sesshoumaru was packing few necessities he, Jaken, and Rin might need on their new journey. 

"M-master," said Jaken, hopping towards him. "What are you doing??"

"We're going to the Forest Still," said Sesshoumaru. "Get Rin. We leave as soon as possible."

"Eh…yes, Lord." Jaken scuttled away, his staff raised high above his head as he ran. (Can he?)

Somewhere… 

"Inuyasha!" said Kagome. "Where are we?!"

"We're in the Forest Still baka [stupid/idiot], where do you think we are?" Inuyasha retorted.

"Well how was I supposed to know that," snapped Kagome. "*I* don't live in this time!" 

Inuyasha murmured a 'thank you' to the Creators of Earth for that remark, and fortunately for him, no one heard. Well, almost no one.

"Ha, ha, very clever, little brother," said a voice. The whole company sprang erect, looking around wildly. "Up here, fools," said a voice. They all looked up to see a female youkai standing nimbly on a branch, a white bird perched on her outstretched hand. She jumped down, and landed near Inuyasha, who had Tetsusaiga drawn.

"Ah, Tetsusaiga…" said the youkai. "It has been a while since I last saw you…" She looked at Inuyasha. "As it has been for you, as well, Inuyasha."

"Who are you?" Kagome said suddenly, stepping up. "And how do you know Inuyasha?"

The youkai smirked. "Why, can't you see the similarities?" she said. But before she could finish, Miroku had stepped up and took the Ayamara's hand. "Dear woman, will you grant me the greatest favor of bearing my child?" he asked in a joking manner. But the youkai didn't take the matter so lightly.

"What!?" she screeched. "HOW *DARE* YOU!!" she yelled. She lifted her hand, and a long, red, neon whip appeared in her hand – a very long one that reached far beyond the trees' lengths. She began swinging it around her head, the tip slicing some leaves off of the trees. He barely had time to squeak an "eep!" before she had thrown the top high in the air, and it came back down aimed at his throat.

But before it could do any damage, a tree branch had gotten in the way, blocking Miroku.

"Stop it," said a new, emotionless voice. Everyone turned to see Sesshoumaru, Jaken, and Rin standing there.

Ayamara's gray-blue eyes sparked. "So you decided to join us, brother," she said.

Sesshoumaru didn't respond to her statement. "Leave the human alone, Ayamara," he said. "He does not deserve your attention."

"You're right," said Ayamara. "But I took much offense, as you can clearly see, for I would not want to mate with a human…like Inuyasha's filthy mother."

Inuyasha's ears twitched, and his eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" he demanded. "And what makes you think I'll let you say that without paying the price?" His golden eyes were flashing pools of hate and anger, and his ears were flattened slightly against his head – the pose for getting ready to strike *with* a warning, unlike the other times when he hadn't given one…

"I speak only the truth," said Ayamara. Before she could retaliate, Inuyasha had tackled her to the ground, and was slashing and punching at her body viciously, showing no relent. (A/N- never say anythin' bad 'bout anyone's mama!)

Ayamara cursed, and bared her fangs. Her legs sprung up from under her, and she kicked Inuyasha aside, and the two switched places. But she didn't hit him, nor harm him. She just sat on his knees, her feet planted firmly on his arms so he couldn't get up – much less, move.

"You idiot!" she yelled. "Don't you know who I *am*?!" She looked at Sesshoumaru when she heard a noise to see that Jaken and the youkai were looking on with amused expressions, clearly enjoying the show. She looked back at Inuyasha, wiping blood away from her silvery-white bangs.

"Obviously not," spat Inuyasha. "Now let me go!"

"I'm your sister you imbecile," she said softly, before slapping him hard across the face – leaving four, ruby red marks on his cheek. She jumped off him, and landed in the midst of Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and Shippo. They stood ready, their weapons drawn. Inuyasha stayed sitting on the ground.

Sesshoumaru stepped into the group, and pulled Ayamara away. "Let them be," he said lowly.

Ayamara allowed her other brother to take her away until they were a few meters away from the group – farther away so they were still in their range of sight, but Inuyasha could not here them. (Is that possible?)

"So where was this 'power' coming from here, Ayamara?" Sesshoumaru asked. "I sense nothing."

"It's deeper into the forest – near the heart, I believe. It will take many days for us to reach, even if we ran the whole way." She looked at Inuyasha. "But that doesn't seem possible, considering that our brother and his filthy human comrades will most likely want to accompany…" She looked at Sesshoumaru. "Us… and I personally don't feel like leading a group of grimy beings through a forest where their scent could be tracked for miles by *any* hungry youkai." 

Sesshoumaru clenched his fists, and made a scratch in a nearby tree with his claws. "Humans are not as bad as you learned them to be," he said.

Ayamara made a skeptical face. "And this is coming from a long-time human despiser!" She snarled. "Let me think what I want, aniki." She turned, and began walking towards Inuyasha, smirking at the way Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Shippo parted to let her by. She reached down, and held out her hand for Inuyasha to take. He reluctantly took it, and she lifted him with ease.

The two were silent for a few long moments, studying each other – or rather, Inuyasha was studying her, Ayamara was remembering him from the past. "I might remember you…" said Inuyasha slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. "But…I'm not sure…"

"I stayed for many moons after father and…" she made a disgusted face, though tried to hide it, "the human…mated and had you… To take care of you and stay close to Sesshoumaru. But you may not remember, though Sesshoumaru does."

Inuyasha's looked away from her blue-gray eyes. "I do remember you," he said suddenly. He looked back at her after he stepped back a few paces, his hands starting to tremble a bit. "You were the one that always played with me… But they weren't any ordinary games. No…they were the games you and Sesshoumaru played. The *dangerous* ones."

Ayamara didn't say anything, but her gray-blue eyes dulled as she remembered, then her face lit up in a small smile. "Oh yes…the games of 'Hide and Harm', 'Fox and Rabbit', and those training games. Such joy. But I always thought you enjoyed them, little brother!"

"Oh yeah, I really enjoyed games that had me as the butt of it!" Inuyasha shouted. "You almost *killed* me in some of those so-called *games*!!" He pointed an accusing finger at her, which she just smiled at.

"Well you should have said something, Inuyasha," said Ayamara. She twirled. "But I'm here now, and I bet you won't be terribly harmed by the games if we played them now… But right now, I've got to go Sesshoumaru the power in the woods. So until we meet again, brother…" Ayamara began walking towards Sesshoumaru, who seemed to be ready to leave.

"Wait!" Inuyasha called. Ayamara turned. 

"Yes?"

"What power are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked, an eyebrow arched.

"Oh, a very delicate one. It seemed to be another Shikon no Tama…or sword. Whichever, I think Sesshoumaru and I would be very happy to find it. It could be used as a very powerful weapon for each of our respective Land-kingdoms."

"But…but we're looking for that, too!" Kagome said. "And the first Shikon no Tama!"

Ayamara froze, and she let out a pitiful groan. "Sesshoumaru…I don't *want* them to accompany us!" she said. 

"Do you know where it is…Ayamara-sama?" Sango asked, stepping up. Her fingers were tense, ready to unleash her boomerang if necessary.

"Yes," said Ayamara shortly. 

"Will you take us there?" asked Miroku.

Ayamara looked at Sesshoumaru, who glared in return. "Uh…Fine. Just don't get in my way, or I'll finish what I left off." Her hand glowed menacingly in Miroku's direction to reinforce her claim. He just nodded nervously in return. 

"Fine. Let's go."

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A/N- Stupid chapter, ne? *sigh* Sorry… Too much homework… Please read and review!


	3. III

The Ties that Bind Us

By: Joist

A/N- Sorry I made you wait so long! I had MAJOR brain-lag, and writer's block!! GRR! :O Luckily, I'm at Inuyasha-luver 's house, spending the night, and I've been able to watch (on her episodes 1-92) on her Inuyasha DVDs a few episodes ahead, so I won't be TOTALLY clueless as to what's going on!! *h* But I'm still confused a bit, because she knows SO much more on IY than me... -_-;

~*~

Chapter _Three_!!

Ayamara and Sesshoumaru walked ahead of the others, unspoken bond passing between them that neither was to lead - for the other may not follow; neither was to follow, for the other may not've known where to go. They were side by side, and it seemed to the others behind them that they didn't know each other; as if the other just happened to go where the first was going. But they were not strangers, for when one of them sped up, the other matched their speed in a few moments - and vice versa.

"They act closer to each other than siblings that were seperated for over fifty-years," said Kagome, who had been watching the two full-demons with interest.

Inuyasha glanced at her. "What do you mean?" he asked, "I don't see anything. They're just walking, they're not even communicating! They're not even looking at each other."

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you MEAN you can't see anything?" she asked incredulously. He pointed her whole hand at Ayamara and Sesshoumaru. "They aren't following each other, but they're not leading either! They MUST be close to have a relationship like that."

"They're brother and sister, Kagome," said Inuyasha, arching an eyebrow as if in annoyance. "Why would a relationship like that, as you call it, interfere with how they feel towards each other?"

Kagome contemplated, but didn't answer. (They have a closer bond than brother and sister,) she thought, (but they act as if they've held grudges against each other for centuries...) She realized that's probably what it was. She finally noticed that even though they might as well wanted to tear each other's hearts out (if they had any in their case), they were still going to work together in order to get what they wanted. It was cooperation, not adoration. Kagome stumbled over a root as her thoughts hurled themselves in her brain like bricks through water. (But...) she thought mistically, not even noticing that Inuyasha was helping her regain the balance she lost, (what did one of them do to make the other so hostile to the other..? And what would it take for them to get back on brotherly-sisterly love?)

~*~

Through the corner of his eye, Sesshoumaru stared at Ayamara. Not even his pupil moved, but with the eyes of a demon like him, the black centers needn't move. Ayamara didn't even notice. She just kept walking briskly and easily along the rocky, muddy, slippery road - as if it were a walk along an eased dirt road. Her long, silvery hair was dappled a darker shade in the natural light of the sun, and one could see it was a darker shade of shining grayish-silver. Not white like his and Inuyasha's. The silken strands of hair fell to her waist like a trickling river, two thick strands of hair falling to frame her face that seemed as if it were dipped in sparkling blue paint at the first inches near the bottom. Ayamara's eyes were a deep tealish blue, tainted black with the wisdom of ages of fighting in losing battles. 

Her skin was like porcelain, slowly baked a virtually-invisible shade of olive. instead of scars on eaither side of her face, there were two maroon strips on the bridge of her nose - and a dark blue, upside-down triangle-looking shape under her left eye. A battle scar a shade pinker than the surrounding skin, telling one that it had been a deep wound, went over the main vein of the body, the jugular, and Sesshoumaru almost winced at how painful the wound must've been, to be weakened from lack of blood flowing to a helpless state, and her wind pipe crushed from the brusing that came after the blood clotted to start forming a scab.

Ayamara had a tall, lithe figure that many humans might've envied if they had gotten a look under the black cloak she wore. But Sesshoumaru knew if any  saw what she hid for safety and underestimation it gave enemies of her, they would die more of her secret's claws than of her own wrath and power. 

The ensemble she wore was hidden under a long, dull brown cloak with lots of tears and snags in it, as to make her enemies underestimate her, and let her destroy them with surprise without using at least half of her power. But under the cloak was an interesting suit. A skin-tight, light gray bodysuit covered her upper-body, and had a long piece of light gold colored cloth going from the middle of her waist down to hang between her feet, and the same from her back. She wore black boots that were covered with what seemed to be white bandages. (finally, done with her description!)

"Sesshoumaru," said Ayamara nonchalantly, staring straight ahead, "I can feel your eyes on me, you know."

Sesshoumaru didn't respond, but averted his gaze to the trail ahead of him. (Of course, Ayamara...) he thought with a tinge of malice, but also with a great respect.

Ayamara smirked, and she stopped suddenly in a space in a small clearing in the forest, where the sun shone through the treetops to make diamond-like patterns on the forest floor. A breeze from above came down on the group, making her hair billow out behind her like a wild cape, and she held onto her brown cloak.

"We are here.." she murmured, blinking slowly as her eyes grew accustomed to the light. "...we are in the center of the Forest Still...and whatever power that lies here, is growing. Pulsing. Waiting for a formidable owner..."

~*~

A/N- Boring huh? I think I went a little overboard with her description, but I needed to have a typing excercise. That seemed to be a good way to do it. ^_^ Enjoy, and please REVIEW!!!!!!

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue, don't ask, don't tell.

~Joist


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